Mission | Collaboration | Technology | Eduation & Outreach |Economic Development

The RENCI at UNC Asheville Engagement Site gathers current regional data and displays this data in visualizations. Visualizations are one way to bring information to decision makers and the general public. NEMAC's aims to take this a step further to tell the story of the data. Telling a story allows people with a wide range of backgrounds truly understand the meaning of the data and use this information to enhance their lives. This allows decision makers to not only make decisions based on current accurate science but also to demonstrate the basis for sound decisions to their constituants.

Start Date January , 2007
End Date June, 2010

Official RENCI at UNC Asheville Website

The cornerstone of the RENCI engagement site is the collaborations it is built upon. Leveraging the resources and talents of Government, Education, Non-Profit and Private Industry will allow AVL to address regional and local issues, while creating economic development, and educating the public.

New technologies developed through the RENCI Asheville collaboration will allow regional community planners to explore scenarios and make better decisions for disaster preparedness and mitigation. The following are some of the prototypes in development.

Geospatial visualizations integrating historical, and real time data to be viewed as educational movies in the dome.

A Dynamic Watershed Model created from historical and real time data compared to tables of data.

Renaissance Computing Initiative has providing NEMAC with an Outreach Van coordinated by the NC Arboretum and serving schools and local non-profits that provide related content to regional K-12 schools and first responders. The Colburn Earth Science Museum, Riverlink and the NC Arboretum will work together with NEMAC to create original content aimed at building an understanding of the challenges natural disaster present to this region, and how students can become involved while growing a career that allows them to stay close to home.

Many of the products created in the RENCI Engagement Site will become smart products manufactured in Asheville and distributed to any watershed.

Museum pieces created for Western North Carolina can be recreated for any watershed, manufactured here and placed anywhere in the world.

Visualization Pieces and gaming pieces for the inflatable dome are already in demand worldwide.

Geospatial Visualizations for community planning will provide an invaluable tool for city's coping with climate change.

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